Test MKH01: Dynamic Centrifuge Tests of Soft Clay Reinforced by Soil-Cement Grids

Test MKH01 was performed to explore the stiffening effect of soil-cement grid ground reinforcement on seismic behavior of soft clay. In the first large centrifuge test (test MKH01), the soft clay model included two sections at each end of the centrifuge container. The model had an unreinforced soil profile on the left end of the container and a soil-cement grid at right end. The area replacement ratio of the reinforced section was Ar = 24%.
The soil profile consisted of six preconsolidated layers of coarse kaolinite clay overlaid on a saturated coarse sand layer for drainage purpose. A thin layer of wet sand was placed on the surface to prevent drying the clay surface during the spinning. The sand layers used in these tests were dry pluviated into the container with drop height and rate controlled to achieve the desired relative density profiles. The clay layer was consolidated into six lifts of 6-8 cm to achieve a final model scale depth of 41 cm.